St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-04
RAKED OVER THE GOALS.
The Police Force Handled With
out Gloves by a Sufferer.

ONo 0lOttS NY d sufferer.
To the Editor of the Globe
On Tuesday evening saw something
which set me to wondering if the police
commission had not several men on the
city force who would be the better of
being pulled ''over the Goals real hard"
or discharged for inefficiency OH ac-
count of their apparent utter ignorance
OF the laws of the country. and of the
rights of American citizens whom
they are paid to serve. On
Thursday about 9 o'clock
was standing on the corner
of Nicollet avenue and Sixth street,
near the drug store, while both sides
Of the street we're thronged with vehi-
cleS. A bicyclist rode up the street. He
was riding on the left of a carriage
Which he was passing, which is strictly
in accordance with the rule of the road.
He was riding slow, and apparently was
not doing anything contrary to city Or
dinance or state law. A policeman (No.
~, who had been waltzing around in an
excited manner as if lately convert to
brass buttons and supposed authority,
called to the wheelman to halt or dis
mount or something to that effect. The
Wheelman had not been accustomed to
orders OF that kind, especially from an
ignorant patrOlman, whose very way of
giving orders put all ideas of respect
positively out of the question, but he
slowed up, and to see what the patrol
man meant by his harrange, he dis
mounted and walking his wheel up to
the irate cop, he asked the
cause Of SO many police or
ders when none were necessary.
The policeman did not seem to like his
authority 10Y questioned anH in ,o,,rb
manner pushed the wheelman to the
sidewalk. Such action rather aston
lshed the bicyclist so he left his wheel
in charge of friend who stood by, and
walked up to the policeman and asked
him what was the meaning of the whole
business. This the policeman refused
to explain, and in fact he could assign
no cause for his over-officious
conduct except perhaps distorted idea
of the work the public paid him for
doing. The patrolman even threatened
to lock the wheelman up for diSputing
his authority. This the wheelman asked
him to do, as such an act entailed the
dismissal of the patrolman at the next
meeting of the board, as the wheelman
has several tales about the said patrol
man, notably his escapade with a jug at
the police picnic which would trouble
him somewhat. After making inquiries
| learned that the patrolman was one
Tomlinson, who was brought out of the
rural districts of South Minneapolis to
try his hand at keeping order on gem
ulne city thOroughfare. Now there is
little book which is given to each men,
Der OF the city force for his guidance, a
perusal of which Gf Tomlinson
can read might render bis con
duct less obnoxious to the public.
Rule XVI of the little book above
mentioned, might be read with
good effect. Rule XXI in the same
valuable work. states that unnecessary
abuse of those in custody. either by
word or act will be severely punished.
General rule 5, on page 40, states that
Each member of the force in his con-
duct and department must be quiet,
civil and orderly. In the performance
OF his duty he must maintain decorum
and attention, command of temper ETC.,
and must at all times refrain from
violent, coarse profane and insolent
language" Those who saw this man
IOml1nSOn in connection with the above
can only wonder why such men are
given positions on the police force.
Rule VIII on page At, says:
IF a number of persons are
collected, and the officer can
safely take the person aside and COM
municate his purpose and make the ar
rest without undue publicity, he must
do So" This rule he has evidently
never read, as he made as much noise
and attracted as much attention as he
possibly could. Several members of
the police force, who take pride in the
performance of their duty, said yester-
day that it is just such ignorant ''com-
mon nouns" as this TOmlinson that
bring discredit upon the city force. The
police commission should instruct this
man that this is America; that Ameri-
cans have rights, and that South Min
neapolis patrolmen are not paid by the
city to trample on them.
ONE WHO KNOWS THE POLICE FORCE.
Minneapolis, Sept. 5.